Osborne's Paralympic boos 'spoke for Britain'

The boos George Osborne encountered at the Paralympic Games "spoke for Britain", Ed Miliband said today.

Speaking at the first PMQs since the summer break, the Labour leader relentlessly attacked the chancellor and suggested Ken Clarke had been handed an economic brief in the reshuffle to help him do his job.

"It's good to see the chancellor still in his place," Miliband joked, before mockingly referring to Cameron's pledge to "cut through the dither" in planning laws and economic development.

"It's the same old faces, the same old policies. A no-change reshuffle.

"If he really wants to cut through the dither, there's no place like home."

Cameron insisted the economy-focused approach of the coalition was paying dividends, with Britain finally becoming a net exporter of cars and other vehicles.

"I want every single department to be about the economy. This is a government that means business and we've got the team to deliver it," he said.

"I've got my first choice as chancellor, he's got his third choice. Apparently he has to bring in the coffee every morning. That's how assertive and butch the leader of the opposition is."

The exchange comes a day after Cameron reshuffled his front bench team, demoting liberal Conservatives, promoting those in favour with his backbenchers and seemingly laying the ground for a U-turn on a third runway at Heathrow.

Asked whether he would promise not to allow a third runway while he was prime minister, Cameron answered that he would abide by his manifesto commitment to avoid it. That response still left open the possibility of a new manifesto commitment in the 2015 general election.